Water-filter.



' no. 634,512. Y z Y Patenfed uct. m', |399. l

w. a. Tousav. WATER FILTER.V

(Lpplictml lnd Ayr. 25, 1899.)

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` mzzzamaybw@ PATENT l OFFICE.

VILLIAM G. TOUSEY, 0F SOMERV'ILLE, MASSACIIUSETTS.l

WATER SPECIFICATION forming part of Lei-,ters

Patent No. 634,512, :lated ctober 10, 1899.

Application filed pril 2,5,A 1S99. Serial No. 714,4=36. @To model.)

Be it known thatl I, WILLIAM G. ToUsEY, a citizen of the United States, residing atSomp-` ervlle, in the county of Middlesex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Water-Filters,'of which. full, clear, and eXactde-.z

the following is a scription. 1 Y., My invention relatesto improvements in Water-filters, and has for its object the clariiil cation and purification of water or other liquids.

Figure l is a vertical section of the entire.

machine.l Fig. 2 is a view showing how both surfaces of thediaphragm K and the upper surface of the supporting-plate R are groove'd. Fig. 3 is a vertical section of the iiltering-tablet D. Fig. 4: is a vertical section ofjthe iiltering-tablet E. Y

Broadly described, the machine is a mechanicochemical filter in which a composite filtering mediumis compacted toany desirable degree by pressure provided for in the con.

struction of the mechanism. This composite medium is adapted to be used alone or in conjunction with other filtering materials. l ,Itv

consists, primarily, of a fibrous sheet entablet composed by preference, though, not nec essarily,of cotton or linen iiber'treated much as in the manufacture of filter or blotting pa;

per. I do not, however,limit myself-to these ibers or to this specilic mode of treatment.` This fibrous sheet after being dipped vin 'an antiseptic solution and while yet moist, has

one surface coated with a layer ofgelatino'usl hydroxid of aluminium orv analogous substance, (shown in Fig. 3 at d and in Fig. Alat e.)

In addition to this coat of hydroxid of alumini-l um I usually commingle the same substance with the ibers of the filtering-sheet, (shown in Fig. 3 at d and in Fig. et at e.) This is best done by mixing freshly-precipitated aluminium hydroxid with the fibrous pulp before it is run into sheets. A good way to eiect this is to ytreat the pulp with a solution of aluminiu'm sulfate and then precipitate the aluminium hydroxidy with an alkaline solutione. g. ammonium hydroXid, calcium hydroXid,`

or sodium carbonate-or I can secure this result in fair degree by dipping the sheet when dry in a solution ofaluminium sulfate, thus Y ,impregnating the fiber, and then treating it to an alkaline bath toprecipitate the aluminium hydroxid. Still further, when this filtering sheet or tablet is to be directly exposed to a 4scouring process-such, for instance, as that described by me in my application, Serial No. '668,376, filed vJanuary 29, 1898, and patented yMay-9, 1899, No. 624,580-I treat the side of the tablet' epposedto that which carries the layer of aluminium hydroxid with an insolulble cohesivev sized, Fig. 3, which serves to give superior tenacity to a thin stratum of the fabric and vprevents the, entire cutting away of the. iiltering-tablet when subjected 1 to prolonged scouring. This particular treatlment can be effected in dierent ways. The following method, though I do not ccniine myself to it,'is successful: A mixture of equal Aparts of melted wax (Japan wax is good) and Vrefined rosin is applied in a thin coat to a hot metal surface. The filtering-tablet is then pressed for an inst-ant against this surface and quickly removed. The result is a very thin layerof evenly-waxed fiber. Thus treated the size is limited to a superiicial stratum of ythe tablet, and the interstices are not iilled '.toY .the embarrassment of the 'flow of Water. For expeditious work the tabletsmay be lrun between cylinders, one of which is heated and supplied with a film of the wax preparation. The method which by preference I employ to apply pressure for thel compacting of the filtering-tablets can be seen by reference to Fig. l.

R is a diaphragm or seat perforated and 1grooved, as at 7c, Fig. 2, on its upper surface, which'supportsthe filtering-tablets E E E. K is a free diaphragm suitably grooved, as vat 7c, Fig'. 2, and perforated and made to sup- -portthe filtering-tablet D.

.G is a swinging bar or yoke hinged at H and engaging when in position with the lug Il, as shown. l

J is a screw by the action of which the parts B R E K Dare forcedA up against the liange a, awater-tight jointure secured, and the tiltering-tablets E E E compressed and so compacted as greatly to improve their character asa filtering medium. This pressure is suitably graduated bythe heightgiyeu to' the rib fr'. Usually the height of thisrib scarcely ex ceeds on'e-eightieth of an inch. The effect of this construction is that the pressure applied to approximate the diaphragms K an d R, while sufficiently concentrated upon the peripheral portions of the tablets E E E, coincident with the rib r, to prevent lateral percolation, is nevertheless distributed in considerable degree-a degree inversely proportionate to the height of the rib over the more central portions of the tablets, thus compressing and compacting the somewhat spon gy mass, giving to it a greater density and improving its character as a filtering medium.

In some cases I find it advantageous to perforate the diaphragm K with but one 0r a few holes, the capacity ofy which shall be relatively small as compared with the capacity of the underlying tablets to transmit liquids. The result of this construction isthat a large part of the pressure of the water system to which the filter is attached is made to rest upon the diaphragm, and this pressure coperating with that produced by the screw J has the effect of compacting ina higher degree the underlying filtering material. lVhen the pressure of the water system is great, I sometimes make this diaphragm quite thin and flexible, and thus rely exclusively on this pressure of the water system for compacting the filtering material. It should be noted that pressure secured by this device will be automatically graduated. As the filteringtablets E E E become more highly compacted or clogged by the deposition of suspended matter in theliquid and as the ratio of the capacity of the filtering-tablets to the capacity of the orifices of the diaphragmY is thus lessened, the pressure on the diaphragm will be proportionately lessened and may even be reduced to nothing; The automatically-graduated pressure upon the ltering-tablets and the automatically-regulated flow thus secured are found to be important factors of the superior results obtained by this filter.

Iam led to describe this filter as a mechanicochemical filter, because there is both a mechanical straining of the liquid and also a chemical purification. The minute fiber and close texture of the filtering-tablets, particularly when swollen with moisture and compacted by pressure, insure a highly-perfect mechanical filtration; but in addition to this the gelatinous layer of aluminium hydroxid, While Aoperating mechanically to detain suspended matter and to entangle microorganisms of whatever sort, also by virtue of its well-known chemical affinities and great avidity for organic substances, operates effectively to purify the liquid. Moreover, the particles of aluminium hyd'roxid distributed throughout the texture of the ltering-tablets not only serve to fill the interstices of the fibers, and thus afford a denser texture and closer ltering medium, but they contribute their part to the chemical refinement of the filtrate.

To indicate the course pursued by the liqseries `of tablets E E E, which by virtue of their composition and the compacting pressure applied to them still further perfects the process begun by the protective tablet D. Finally, passing through the perforations of the plate 'R it issues from the outlet-pipe O as a filtrate free from dangerous organisms, colorless, and sweet.

'lo cleanse` the filter,the waste-cock M is opened. The outrushing current then carries away the impurities arrested by the tablet'D. This cleansing will be much more effective when the cleaning device C, heretofore referred to, or itsequivalent is employed.

' I would not be understood as laying claim in this instance to a particular form of filtercase, or a particular kind of cleaning device,

-or Vbroadly to the employment of a fibrous tablet as a filtering medium.

What I claim, andfdesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. In a filter the combination of a filter-case, a fibrous filter #tablet-f, and aluminium hydroxid, or similar salt; substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth. n

2. In a filter the combination of a filter-case, and a fibrous filter-tablet having a layer of aluminium hydroxid, or similar salt, applied to its surface, whereby a composite filter medium is obtained; substantially as set forth.

3. In a lter the combination of a filter-case, and a fibrous filter-tablet having aluminium hydroxid, or similar salt, intermixed with the fibers of the said tablet, whereby a composite lter medium is obtained; substantially as set forth. v 4. In a filter the combination of a filter-case, and a fibrous filter-tablet having on one side a thin stratum impregnated With an insoluble adhesive size whereby a greater tenacity is given to said stratum which prevents the filter-tablet from being entirely scoured away in the cleansing process; substantially as set forth. I

5. In afilter the combination of a filter-case, and a fibrous filter-tablet charged with alu minium hydroxid,or similar salt, and having on one side a thin stratum impregnated with an insoluble adhesive size; substantially as, and for the purpose, set forth.

6. In a filter the combination of a filter-case, fibrous filtering-tablets, a supporting-plate of said tablets, a covering-diaphragm, with a perforation of the said diaphragm relatively small in comparison with the capacity of the underlying filtering-tablets to transmit the IOO liquid undergoing filtration, whereby the flow is regulated, and the pressure of the Water system to which the filter is attached is made to rest in self-graduated measure upon the said diaphragm, and so to compress and compact the underlying ltering-tablets as occasion requires.; substantially as set forth.

7. In a iilter the combination of the top A, the diaphragm K, the l'tering-tablets E E E, the supporting-plate R, the bottom B, the swinging bar G, with the screw J, whereby the iilter-case is closed, the parts K 'and R are forcibly approximated, and the interposed i'iltering-tablets E E E are compressed and compacted; substantially as set forth.

S. In a lterthe combination of a filter-case, ilbrons-filtering-tablets charged with aluminium hydroxid, or similar salt, a supportingplate for said tablets, a diaphragm covering said tablets, with means. for forcibly approximating said supporting-plate and coveringdiaphragm, and thus compressing and compacting the interposed filtering-tablets; .substantially as set forth.

9. In a filter the combination of a filter-case, brons filtering-tablets charged with aluminium hydroxid, or similar salt, a supportingplate for said tablets, and a covering-diaphragm having perforations relatively small o in comparison with the capacity of the unplate for said tablets, a covering-diaphragm 35 having a perforation relatively small in comparison with the capacity of the underlying filtering-tablets to transmit the liquid undergoing filtration, with means for forcibly approximating said supporting-plate and covering-diaphragm, substantially as set forth. l 11. In a iilter the combination of a ltercase, fibrous iiltering-tablets charged with. almniniumhydroxid or similar salt, a supporting-plate for said tablets, a covering-dia- 45 phragm having a perforation relatively small in comparison With the capacity of the underlying filtering-tablets to transmit the liquid undergoing filtration, with means for forcibly approximating said diaphragm and plate and thus compressing the interposedv filtering-tablets, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing invention I have hereunto set my hand this 24th day of April, 1899.

VILLIAM G. TOUSEY. 

